2019-2023 North Carolina Cancer Incidence by Race and Ethnicity

Per 100,000 Population

Age-Adjusted to the 2000 U.S. Standard Population

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Site Non-Hispanic Whites Non-Hispanic African Americans Non-Hispanic American Indians Non-Hispanic Asian / Pacific Islanders Hispanics All Races and Ethnicities
Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate Cases Rate
Oral Cavity 7,116 14.7 1,164 8.9 73 11.5 150 9.4 194 5.9 8,763 13.1
Esophagus 2,454 4.8 441 3.4 11 ** 29 2.4 57 2.1 3,001 4.4
Stomach 2,507 5.1 1,211 10.0 33 5.3 105 7.7 293 9.7 4,174 6.4
Colon/Rectum 16,397 35.9 4,669 38.4 218 34.5 377 25.0 839 27.3 22,694 35.8
Liver 4,534 8.7 1,282 9.4 82 11.5 170 11.9 296 11.2 6,385 9.1
Gallbladder 374 0.7 237 2.0 8 ** 19 1.5 44 1.6 683 1.0
Pancreas 6,965 13.8 2,254 18.3 96 14.9 109 8.2 241 10.1 9,696 14.4
Larynx 1,791 3.6 588 4.4 29 4.6 16 1.0 49 1.6 2,482 3.6
Lung/Bronchus 33,178 63.4 7,722 60.8 470 67.8 397 29.9 623 27.7 42,488 61.0
Bone 324 0.9 76 0.7 7 ** 14 ** 51 1.0 475 0.9
Soft Tissue 1,328 3.1 416 3.7 14 ** 45 2.6 129 3.5 1,948 3.3
Melanoma (Skin) 18,373 40.5 93 0.8 30 5.3 17 1.1 182 6.5 19,027 30.0
Female Breast 43,200 181.4 13,011 186.2 471 138.5 1,178 132.9 2,361 138.1 60,665 179.5
Cervix Uteri 1,216 6.8 468 7.3 35 12.2 49 5.3 217 10.9 2,008 7.2
Corpus Uteri 6,866 26.8 2,289 30.3 79 22.9 182 20.4 477 26.8 9,968 27.7
Ovary 2,243 9.5 560 8.3 24 6.8 69 7.8 173 9.6 3,092 9.3
Prostate 30,150 120.3 12,949 220.0 425 127.2 389 65.0 1,129 89.1 45,892 138.1
Testes 1,015 6.8 81 1.6 11 ** 28 2.9 171 5.7 1,321 5.5
Bladder 10,810 21.2 1,458 12.2 72 11.3 115 9.3 234 11.2 12,780 19.0
Kidney 9,136 19.3 2,863 22.6 130 19.4 106 7.1 512 15.1 12,838 19.5
Endocrine 4,988 13.2 1,120 9.4 58 10.0 264 14.3 619 13.8 7,143 12.6
Multiple Myeloma 3,293 6.6 2,004 16.6 46 7.2 60 4.4 175 6.5 5,596 8.4
Leukemia 7,063 15.5 1,351 11.4 74 11.4 145 9.4 477 12.0 9,176 14.7
Brain & Other CNS (Includes benign brain) 9,631 22.2 2,325 19.6 107 17.1 216 14.3 667 18.4 13,058 21.3
Brain & Other CNS (Excludes benign brain) 2,993 7.2 508 4.4 40 6.3 52 3.2 206 5.1 3,823 6.4
Hodgkins Disease 887 2.6 353 3.0 11 ** 22 1.2 117 2.3 1,404 2.6
Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma 9,015 18.9 1,612 13.5 71 10.7 184 12.2 499 16.3 11,459 17.8
Other Cancers 17,486 36.1 4,076 34.1 179 27.5 281 20.9 754 28.1 22,920 35.3
All Cancers 245,702 512.7 64,856 513.9 2,797 424.7 4,572 302.3 11,119 357.2 331,901 504.1

Produced by the NC Central Cancer Registry, 02/2026.

Numbers are subject to change as files are updated.

*Cell sizes with fewer than five cases of cancer incidence are suppressed for confidentiality.

** Cancer incidence rates for cell sizes with fewer than 16 cases of cancer are suppressed as they are not stable.

Cases may not sum to totals due to unknown or other values.

Cancers of the urinary bladder and female breast include in situ cases.

Rates are calculated using vintage 2019 non-bridged population estimates for 2019 (based on the 2010 Census), and vintage 2024 non-bridged population estimates for 2020-2023 (based on the 2020 Census).


Hispanic ethnicity is independent of race. Hispanic ethnicity is determined by self-report and the National Hispanic Identification Algorithm.


Cancer incidence for American Indians is assumed to be underestimated. Yankaskas BC, Knight K, Fleg A, Rao, C. Misclassification of American Indian Race in State Cancer Data among Non-federally Recognized Indians in North Carolina. Journal of Registry Management. 2009;36(1):7-11.